LOS ANGELES - Behind the LA Sparks athletes who are leaders in the game, lies a leader in the office. Danita Johnson, the President and COO is no stranger to the sports world. 

“For me, role after role, I was the director of business operations over with the LA Clippers and then prior to that I served three years as the senior vice president with the sparks,” Johnson said. 

And like many of the athletes playing on her roster, she’s not new to adversity. 

“it’s been a growth process step by step and we as an organization are constantly thinking, how can we create equity for our women?” She explained. 

On Wednesday, the topic of equity in sport was on the agenda. That's because Johnson was one of almost a dozen executives and athletes, including Nneka Ogumwike, from across the sports world who came together to discuss a topic that is often on their minds. 

The conference was sponsored by the LA 84 Foundation and First Partner of California, Jennifer Siebel Newsom. 

“The reason we’re here is because sports is clearly an incredible arena in which to ensure equity for all," said Newsom. 

Johnson said as a local team, it was important for the Sparks to have a seat at this table. 

“Having conversations like this that then create actual things that we can walk away with and do in our community is so important," Johnson said. "For us to be at this table, we had to be here.”